Flaherty and Dunne halls earn LEED Gold certification

In recognition for achieving a high level of sustainability, the U.S. Green Building Council has awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification to Notre Dame for the construction of undergraduate residences Flaherty Hall and Dunne Hall.

When the University designed and constructed Flaherty and Dunne halls, it carefully planned and implemented green methods for saving energy, water and other resources and generating less waste in both the construction and operation of the two buildings. Compared to other newly constructed buildings, Flaherty Hall and Dunne Hall each consume 28 percent less energy for heating and cooling, which contributes to a healthier, more sustainable environment.

The buildings also utilize many other methods to save energy and other resources. With high-efficiency faucets, showerheads and toilets, both residence halls use much less water, earning one Exemplary Performance Credit for each of the new buildings. On average, Flaherty Hall uses about 45 percent less water than a similar new building and Dunne Hall uses about 51 percent less water. Throughout the construction of the facilities, both projects sourced more than 33 percent of the building materials from the local region, and used materials with more than 20 percent of recycled content. All materials, such as paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, flooring systems and agrifiber products, were certified as low-emitting. During the construction of both residence halls, project managers eliminated and minimized waste as much as possible, and reused materials when feasible in the construction of the halls.

“The University is committed to environmentally conscious design and operations that uses its resources wisely,” said Doug Marsh, vice president and university architect. “Earning LEED Gold certification for Dunne Hall and Flaherty Hall is a recognition of Notre Dame’s efforts to utilize technology and green building methods to create efficient, sustainable built environments that meet the needs of our students.”

Since 2011, the University of Notre Dame has been committed to following LEED standards for all new construction. Including Flaherty and Dunne halls, the University has earned eight LEED Gold certifications, three LEED Silver certifications and multiple LEED certifications, and is in the process of seeking three more LEED Silver certifications. Other LEED Gold certified buildings include Stinson-Remick Hall, the Purcell Pavilion, Geddes Hall, Ryan Hall, the renovation of the Morris Inn, and Carole Sander Hall. In addition to saving energy and resources, the new buildings will contribute to a greener, more sustainable environment for generations to come.

Contact: Doug Marsh, associate vice president and University architect, dmarsh@nd.edu

Originally published by Marissa Gebhard at news.nd.edu on March 12, 2018.